Spring break ramblings

• Yes, it’s spring break! It’s only Tuesday and it’s already been fabulous! Who knew I’d be 27 and still loving every moment of not having class!? I’m enjoying it so much I don’t really want to be on the computer very much so this post is a bunch of mini-topics all thrown together!
  
  
• Jackson is doing MUCH better. I know I should have updated everyone sooner, but I haven’t been on the computer much. I feel so blessed to have so many people checking in to see how he’s been doing. Friday and Saturday were hard—taking care of a three-year-old who can’t walk is very challenging. He started taking some steps on Sunday afternoon and has progressively become more active. He’s still not running and jumping, but he’s on the mend. The doctor said it was most likely what they call an occult fracture, which is a tiny fracture that doesn’t appear in an x-ray and it will just heal itself. I kind of figured it was just a heal-itself sort of thing, but I really needed to make sure it wasn’t something bigger, just in case! Mommy worry, I guess!
  
 

• Lately, I’ve been looking for healthy snack ideas for the kiddos. There were some good fruit sales this week and so I decided to try dehydrating. I borrowed my father-in-law’s dehydrator and have been experimenting! The results have been good and people keep eating them, so I guess that’s the real indicator of a successful treat! I’ve done strawberries, apples w/ cinnamon, banana w/ coconut, and two batches of fruit leather {like a fruit roll up}. The process does demand some time in cutting up and preparing the fruit, but I’m super loving the fact that it’s a healthy treat without any added sugar or preservatives. Having a decent stash with what I’ve already made, I was planning on packing up the dehydrator, but I stumbled across a great deal at Aldi’s today and got 15 peaches, 10 nectarines, and 5 plums for 10 cents EACH! I couldn’t pass it up! So on the schedule for this evening: slicing and dicing!
  
  
• Jackson is headed out with Derek’s parents to go to Saint Louis for a few days to visit his cousin Gabe {Aunt Mary and Uncle Brad, too}. They are taking the train and he is SO excited. I’m gonna miss Jackson {not going to miss having him climb into bed in the middle of the night} but I’m really excited to get to spend some time with just Belle. Derek and I both agree that her personality has just blossomed so much just in the last week or two and I’m happy to get some one-on-one time with my second baby!
  
  
• This weather is phenomenal! I am so in love. We have played outside so much!! Of course, the kids love it and really, this weather makes me so productive {hence the abundance of dried fruit, cleaned-out van, and raked flower beds}. Another nice day tomorrow… Yes, please!! Here are a few pictures from this evening:

Jackson is showing off his skills! {which currently include standing, walking,AND bouncing a ball!}

The primary reason I dug out my camera was to capture Belle’s curls! Her hair is typically so, so straight… but today, little locks of curls have become apparent and it is SO CUTE!!!

Check it those cute curls!! I love it!

This is a normal push toy, right??

Nose, nose! Belle’s a genius.

• The Sticky Bellies giveaway ended yesterday.

AND THE WINNER IS...
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Entry #14 Michelle T.

I will send out an email and get you hooked up with Carly. If I don’t hear back within 48 hours, I will pick a new winner.

• Lastly, happy 30th birthday Uncle Philip!

Eleven Months

Eleven months. Holy Moley! Next month we’ll be having her birthday party and I just quite believe it! It’s been a fun month and of course, we just love our little sweetie to the moon and back.

Dear Belle,

Wow! You’re eleven months old now! You have four teeth and you’ve started taking steps! Pretty soon you’ll be begging to get your license! Ha. Maybe not, but it all feels like you’re just growing so fast. You are still just the happiest little baby. I love when people say, “is she this happy all the time?” and I get to say, “Yes, she really is!”

You are super ticklish, especially on your neck. You can’t control your deep belly laugh when you’re getting tickled and it is so cute!!! You always giggle when I give you lots of kisses. I love it!

Watching your reaction when Daddy comes home is one of my favorite parts of my day—his too. You will stop anything that you were previously focused on and crawl at the speed of light when you see him. You will push any toy out of the way and you will crawl over any obstacle; nothing will break your determination. It is *so* cute to see how much you love Daddy. It really makes him feel special and I hope you continue to give your daddy hugs all of your life. Dads need that.

Jackson is still one of your favorite people. He can make you laugh at the silliest little things. You two love to play together and I really enjoy watching. When we go to a friend’s house or even in the doctor’s office waiting room, you two gravitate to each other. I hope you guys continue to stay close! Don’t get offended when he doesn’t want to play all the time. He’s just a boy and he’s also older. But one day when he calls you old, you can just turn around and say, “well, you’re older!” {I had to do this to Uncle Phil last week!}

You started taking steps just last week!!!! You’ve been cruising around furniture for months and then it was just like one day you decided, “hey, I can take some steps!” I feel that the term ‘walking’ is ambitious, but you’re almost there. The thing that is most successful at getting you to walk—holding a stuffed animal. It’s amazing, you *love* stuffed animals. You always sleep with one. Whenever you first pick up a stuffed animal, you always squeeze it and cuddle close. Some of your Christmas presents were animals and you gave them kisses first thing! You’re already a loving, compassionate little person.

Practicing some steps while in line at Oklahoma Joe’s—
now if that’s not enough reason to walk, I don’t know what is!!

This month you celebrated your first Christmas. You actually spent most of Christmas morning cranky, but we took you all out of your element, so it was kind of our fault. Wrapping paper was your favorite. And you looked super cute in the tutu I made you!

We took you in for allergy testing this month. It is pretty early for this kind of testing, but your brother has some severe allergies and I just wanted to see if we needed to be taking special precautions with you. And the best news—no allergies! Well, no food allergies. But maybe you’ve lucked out and gotten my immune system. :) The not as good news is that you lactose intolerant. Crummy news, but it explains why you have always had the most catastrophic poops I have ever seen. I know it’s not very ladylike to mention it and I won’t announce it during your senior slideshow or anything, but it was seriously bad. Things are finally “normal” now that you’re off milk formula. It could be something you outgrow, but it’s not life threatening and easy to work with so I won’t complain. Sorry that it took us so long to figure out what was going on, but you’re such a happy baby we weren’t really sure if anything was actually wrong!

Let’s talk about hair. I am so, so glad that you have lots of hair. It is super, duper straight. Not a bit of curl, which really isn’t like anyone in our family. You’ll love it when you’re older! But right now, it just looks a little awkward most of the time. It’s really long at your side burns and the middle of your head, but not so much anywhere else. Bows are a hit and miss with you. When I blow dry your hair right after a shower or bath, it does look fluffy and cute, but that just doesn’t happen all of the time. And check out this bedhead—once it happens, there isn’t anything you can do about it without fully submerging your head in water. It’s way bad.

But I did get actually manage to get you in pigtails yesterday!! They are kind of like little horns, but at least it looks like I actually tried. And it beats the above hairstyle. You weren’t much of a fan, but I’m hoping you get used to it because I truly believe that little girls are made for pigtails.

Two words: Daddy’s girl. You sat like this for several minutes {which is like eternity in Belle cuddle time!}. You really have become more cuddly this month in general. Maybe you’ve figured out that it’s okay to relax every once in awhile and not always be on the move. Whatever it is, both Daddy and I love it.

You look so cute all bundled up in your fluffy coat. You aren’t really a fan, but I’m not either. It is a pain to get on you and then buckle you in the carseat. Let’s just hope for a continuation of the super nice winter and that we won’t need it much longer!

This is your favorite spot. If I am in the kitchen, you are here. You love this cabinet and cookie cutter drawer. You would actually prefer to play under the sink, but I won’t let you. Go ahead and sign me up for the mean mommy award.

And lastly, girl, you love to climb. Anything and everything. Sometimes I see you holding on to something just trying to get your foot up high enough to climb higher. You can’t stop your feet from climbing! Of course, stairs are your favorite. Climbing up Jackson’s slide is your second favorite. You are quick and quiet. I was making Jackson’s bed and I didn’t even know you were capable of climbing until you just appeared on the bed! About gave me a heart attack.

Jackson got this little chair for Christmas and you like to stand in it more than he gets to sit in it!

And just the other night as I was getting you a bottle at some ungodly hour as you were screaming {no, you’re not consistently sleeping through the night. not cool} and as I was about to your room and I heard a giant thud and MORE screaming. Yes, you climbed out of your crib and fell. When I picked you up, you were still basically asleep—wouldn’t even open your eyes. I didn’t really sleep much more than night because I was so worried. We are going to figure out a way to move your mattress down even lower this weekend.

Daddy cannot stand for you to even get a tiny boo-boo. If you keep this fearless attitude, you might near drive him crazy. We love your outgoing, active, independent, determined little personality. As parents we will do our best to foster those traits and help you grow to become exactly who God made you to be. We love you so very much, but always remember that Jesus loves you even more!

God made dirt, it won't hurt

Spring is here so we can finally start getting some work done on our yard. I cannot wait to have grass instead of a mud pit for a yard! Yesterday afternoon our top soil was delivered and the kids watched in amazement as the "tuck" emptied the dirt in a massive heap in our front yard. Of course Jackson wanted to check it out. My first thought was, "heck, no!" but then decided, "why not?" So I brought the kids inside to change into some play clothes and we headed back out to the pile of dirt.

It is very interesting to me how these two are so different despite being in the same environment a lot of the time. Jackson is 100% boy and Chacey 100% girly. Give them the same activity, and they will each participate in a different way. Example, playing in the dirt- Jackson was into climbing and throwing dirt while Chacey was content to sit still and break apart the clumps into smaller pieces.

Jackson thought he'd see if the dirt was tasty and dove right in. But then he realized he didn't like it, so he tried to wipe it out. Except that he was using his dirty hands, which kept putting more in his mouth. Regardless, he was having too much fun to care. On the other hand, Chacey merely took a quick taste and was pretty uninterested and went back to breaking up clumps of dirt.

Here is a short clip of Jackson's fun in the dirt

Ten Months

Jackson is spending a couple of nights with Grammy, so I figured it would be a good time to catch up on some blogging.

Our little boy is already over 10 months old-- only 6 weeks until his birthday. UNBELIEVABLE! I mean, I seriously doubted that I'd even last the first 6 weeks that he was alive. Alas, here I am alive and well as he is about to turn one.

Jackson's 10 month picture-
also capturing the first time he stood up by himself!

Jackson is so much fun. Everyday, he makes me laugh. Last week, he started making these monkey faces and he is hilarious as he tries to chew his food (make sure to check out the video). If you get him to focus on you, you can make faces at him and he will mimic you- or try, at least! He is so cute. I love this kid.



We can already see Jackson's extroverted personality and he loves watching bigger kids play. He always wants to play with/on David (the little boy I watch), much to David's annoyance. Jackson learned the other day how to make his way down the stairs, without falling, so his new favorite thing is to go up the stairs and then down, and then up, and then down... I have found a spot to make myself comfortable and will just sit there literally for an hour as he entertains himself.

Jackson and his favorite activity

Jackson began taking his first steps at the end of last month. He can take several steps and do pretty well if he would actually want to. A lot of the times, he will just decide that crawling is faster, and a little easier, and opt to crawl instead. Derek is the one motivator for Jackson to walk-- if Derek is the one being walked to, then Jackson goes a lot farther.



Last, but not least, Jackson is definitely "pragmatic" as Derek says, or I might use the word lazy. He won't event try to hold a bottle if he knows you'll do it and he tries so hard to find away to get away with as little effort as possible. Whether it be one handed, resting it on his tray on his stroller and leaning forward to suck, or even to set it on the floor and lean over it (like he is crawling)- but he has found that to be unproductive. It's cute to watch him try though! Another thing that is beginning to become apparent, is Jackson's temperament. This kid is not patient, and is easily frustrated when he can't get a toy to do what he wants or when he doesn't get his way. Derek has already determined Jackson to be a strong-willed child. I don't know where he gets it from.

Jackson thought he was the coolest
kid in town when he got to drive the cart!

When Jackson was itty bitty, I got to cuddle with him as much as I wanted. Then, he learned to squirm and wiggle, and never wanted to cuddle- he was just too busy. These days, he has begun to let me cuddle him again. Sometimes it's when he's drinking a bottle or when he is getting ready for bed and every once in a great while, it will be just a quick cuddle just because before he gets up to play. When I go down to the nursery to get Jackson, he is always super excited to see me and of course, it makes me feel really loved!

Jackson playing peek-a-boo
at the McDonald's Playplace

Oh! And I forgot to mention the blanket. Jackson loves his blanket. We actually went out and bought a similar blanket so that he we will have a back-up! Hardly anything lights up his face like his blanket does. Sometimes, he is so excited to see his blanket when I put him in his crib, it takes him awhile to realize that he's going to have to go to sleep! He always falls forward into his blanket and hides his face in it, then squeals with delight.